Favorite moments in the LOTR score?

[flukeman]

Music has such power to move your emotions. I was listening to a little bit of the FOTR soundtrack in bed last night, and when I came to The Breaking of the Fellowship, I was in a certain mood, and tears just started to roll down my face. Particularly right around the 2 min 15 sec mark, when the Shire theme fully comes in. During Into the West, when Annie sings "Why do the white gulls call?", the note she hits on "call" brings tears to my eyes and a shiver down my spine.

Since we have a thread for favorite lines and scenes, I thought I would start one for this. What are some of your favorite moments in the score of LOTR? Not just whole tracks, but moments in those tracks? Does a certain note or theme get your blood pumping, or make you cry?

[Shagrat]

1) Bridge of Khazad Dum - From the beginning to the end, it never lets up and takes you from exhilarating adventure to confrontation to sadness.

2) Amon Hen and Breaking of the Fellowship - The music when Boromir is making his last stand reduces me to tears, as does the beautiful Hobbit theme in the latter.

3) Foundations of Stone - I love it when the Moria theme kicks in, sends shivers down my spine.

4) Forth Eorlingas - Maestro's solo part during the charge and the following triumphant theme is just superb and makes your hair stand on end.

5) Minas Tirith - The magnificent rendition of the Gondor theme, IMO Shore's finest moment. Simply brilliant.

6) Grey Havens - A very poignant track and a suitably fitting end to the trilogy. Heartbreaking and hopeful in one beautiful piece.

They're my top six, but there are loads more.

[fattybolger]

After the bouncing-on-the-bed reunion, the score rises triumphantly as the scene descends on Minas Tirith...nails me every time... :)

Post-coronation, following "You bow to no one", the Shire theme :waa:

Heck...All of Track 17 on ROTK...I just put it on repeat :D

[PsYkOoOoO]

Can i say everything is cool?

[fattybolger]

Can i say everything is cool?

I am certain you mean "MAY I...." :D

[FVD]

Some of the music that brings a tear to my eye include:

The Rohan theme (especially when they make their prescence known at Pellenor Fields).

Boromir's death scene (you really start to feel sorry for Boromir as he keeps fighting after those arrows have been struck).

Aragorn's coronation (that is definitely some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard in a movie. I've never felt so moved every time I see that scene).

Into The West (Annie Lennox at her very best)

May It Be (Enya sang superbly)

The Halls Of Moria scene (excellent music there).

Is there gonna be a LOTR Trilogy Extended Edition soundtrack set coming out at all?

FVD.

[PsYkOoOoO]

I personally cannot stop playing Minas Tirith.

[flukeman]

Is there gonna be a LOTR Trilogy Extended Edition soundtrack set coming out at all?

FVD.

Yes :D Check out this thread for more details:

http://www.comingsoon.net/forums/showthread.php?t=24198

[flukeman]

The Rohan theme makes me tear up too, especially when it is played on the harbinger fiddle. The instrument adds that extra wistfulness.

[YodatheHobbit]

During the ride of the Rohirim. There's a point where the fiddle has much viberato that just makes me burst into tears sometimes. It happens when it shows the shot of the riders horses running towards the camera. Almost sounds like the instrument is crying. :waa:

[Andrey83]

No idea what it is called on the soundtrack but lighting of the beacons is imo shores finest moment!

[ReActor]

No idea what it is called on the soundtrack but lighting of the beacons is imo shores finest moment!

Track 4 - The White Tree

I agree with you, it is a sensational piece of music. My only problem with that track is it ends a fraction too quickly.

[Spy-Of-Saruman]

For me...

The Bridge of Khazad-Dum - So emphatic all the way through and the way it just kicks in straight away is something I will always love.

The Breaking of the Fellowship - Especially the moment in this when Frooo decides he must go alone and it really starts flowing, same as when he pulls Sam from the river.

Others -
The Fields of the Pelennor
Minas Tirith
Minas Morgul
The Return of the King
Into the West
The Shire

[flukeman]

Track 4 - The White Tree

I agree with you, it is a sensational piece of music. My only problem with that track is it ends a fraction too quickly.

I have that same issue with the track "The Steward of Gondor." It ends just seconds too soon. At the end of Pippin’s song there is a fiddle solo that plays the main theme of his song while showing Gandalf sitting outside. I wish that was included, but hopefully I won’t have to worry once the super soundtrack set is out :)

That’s another moment, Pippin singing The Edge of Night. Especially when he sings “Until the stars are all alight.”

[Sparta*]

Shelobs lair had sweet music

[neo5595]

My top three favorites have got to be when the Ents are marching towards Isengard in TTT, right after Gandolf falls in the mines of moria in FOTR, and the Elfs Rivendale theme.

[Atticus]

After the bouncing-on-the-bed reunion, the score rises triumphantly as the scene descends on Minas Tirith...nails me every time... :)

Post-coronation, following "You bow to no one", the Shire theme :waa:

Heck...All of Track 17 on ROTK...I just put it on repeat :D

Oh man, I hadn't listened to the RotK soundtrack for so long, so last night I put it on, and when it came to track 17, the tears just started falling. Amazing stuff.

[Smeagol]

The zenithal moment from each soundtrack is:

FOTR: The Bridge of Khazad Dum

TTT: Forth Eorlingas

ROTK: The End Of All Things

[LOTRNUT04]

the last stand of boromir, there is a real quick change in the song, that is really emotional. I love it. Right after he gets the third arrow i believe.

[flukeman]

^^When he falls to his knees, in a side view? Yep, I love that moment too.

[Eamane]

I personally cannot stop playing Minas Tirith.

Completly agree... There's something powerful in that music that shows us the scent of the movie... It reveals how "bigger" is Gondor, the road of everyone of the fellowship!!!

It says so~much that cannot be expressed by words (it seems phylosophy!) :)

[Eamane]

Also:
- A knife in the dark and The Bridge of Khaza-Dûm (FoTR) - both breath taking!
- Forth Eorlings and The Uruk-hai (TTT)
- From RoTK, I already said Minas Tirith and I agree with Sparta*: Shelob's Lair is
so...!!! and The Return of the King is so beautiful ("My friends you bow to no one!" I cry so much!!
:waa: :redface:


Ah and I almost forgot The Breaking of the Fellowship!

[PsYkOoOoO]

Completly agree... There's something powerful in that music that shows us the scent of the movie... It reveals how "bigger" is Gondor, the road of everyone of the fellowship!!!

It says so~much that cannot be expressed by words (it seems phylosophy!) :)

It's a "Must Play" for me really.I listen to songs together as one.For example,i treat Journey in the Dark and The Bridge of Khazad Dum as one.For this case,i take the first four tracks as one.So i usually listen to them all at once.

And yeah,the music has a really vast feeling to it.

[New_Breed]

FOTR: breaking of the fellowship
TTT: forth eolingas
ROTK: the return of the king

[flukeman]

I've got another one. "The Return of the King" from 8min40sec to 9min15sec, when the Hobbits are back in the Green Dragon. So beautiful with a simple fiddle.

[PsYkOoOoO]

Sigh.Nobody said Into the West?Haha.

[flukeman]

Well yes. I think that one goes without question :)

Maybe it would be easier to describe the parts we don't like - there are too many that are favorites :)

[PsYkOoOoO]

Easier?I think it's much harder.

Probably things from The Two Towers CD.Like The Leaving Taking and Breath of Life.I usually skip those tracks..

[AustinHusker]

Good to see Shore's music getting some discussion again!!!

My son is 3 1/2 and he is already humming the Rohan theme that plays on the main menu of the ROTK PS2 game!! :) We listen to the soundtracks in the car in the morning when I take him to daycare. He calls it the "monkey" music because he thinks Gollum looks like a monkey, which he kind of does to a 3 year old! :)

I have to agree with the previous post saying that it pretty much all is great music. I do have several that first come to mind:

FOTR:

-Breaking of the Fellowship. There is a website that someone posted the extended cut from the end credits of the EE and it is beautiful.
-The Ring Goes South!! I can't believe no one has mentioned this one yet!! The first major presentation of the main theme when they come over the ridge is fantastic and never fails to give me the goose bumps.
-Counsel of Elrond. When the solo horn plays when Boromir describes Minas Tirith is pure genius.
-Bridge of Khazad Dum. The male choir chanting is very cool, remeniscent of Temple of Doom in a way but much better. Then the mourning of Gandalf almost brings me to tears seeing the despair of the fellowship and listening to the solo.

TTT:
-Forth Eorlingas & the Riders of Rohan. Any and all of the Rohan music is just fantastic. When the elves arrive at Helm's Deep is a sweet rendition of that theme.

Any bets on if The Two Towers was able to be nominated for an Oscar it would have won as well? Why on earth they had that STUPID rule that year about no sequels is beyond me.
-Samwise the Brave. Like Sam's speech, this music gives the viewer/listener hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel perfectly with his speech.
-Gollum's Song. After I got over how much she sounds like Bjork (sp?), I have really come to appreciate this song. Her voice is so hauntingly beautiful and fits Gollum's character to a tee.

ROTK:
-The White Tree. The lighting of the beacons and the gradual build-up of the music never fails to get me going.
-The Fields of Pelennor. Talk about a great rendition of the Rohan theme as the calvary charges!!! When I first saw that in the theatre I was blown away!
-The Return of the King. I can say that for a 10 minute track, it only feels like 4-5 minutes because of how well it flows and sucks me in. As soon as Aragorn says, "My friends! You bow to no one!" I just lose it and the tears start-a-rollin.
-The Gray Havens. Oh my god!!! I just got done bawling like a little baby and now you throw this on top of that!? What an emotionally-draining scene!! Once again, the music for it is perfection.

Too many good ones to mention!! I cannot wait until the trilogy box set comes out in early 2005 as rumored!!!

-Chad

[flukeman]

I am already drooling for that box set. Nice list you have there Chad :)

[PsYkOoOoO]

Hey,i liked Minas Tirith a lot.Why didnt you pop that one into your list too.;)

Oh,and you forgot Evenstar,one of my favourites on The Two Towers soundtrack.

[flukeman]

Well, I had originally started this thread for certain moments of the score, not whole tracks, but this works too :)

Evenstar is beautiful Psyk. Anything with a vocal solo is beautiful actually. I love that part when Arwen appears at Aragorn's coronation. It doesn't last long, but it's effective.

[PsYkOoOoO]

Oh.Moments.

Let me think.

Maybe the part when Mt Doom blows up,then Gandalf wept and Merry stopped cheering.That part is from The End of All Things.Great scene.

[The Red Avenger]

My favourite piece of music from the entire trilogy, is the middle part of Journey in the Dark "where they see Dwarrowdelf" that slow buildup to that wonderful triumphant rise is my favourite.

Second is "The White Tree" the violins working so hard above the soaring music.

Third is "Boromir's fall" that is one of the most emotion driven pieces to me.

Fouth - The Rohan theme - one of Shore's best themes.

Fifth - The Grey Havens - absolutely beautiful.

Other noticible mentions - Breaking of the Fellowship, The Black Gate is Open and Forth Eorlingas.

I love all three songs in this order - Into the West, Gollum's Song, MAy it Be.
...
RA

[flukeman]

I love all three songs in this order - Into the West, Gollum's Song, MAy it Be.
...
RA

That's my order for the songs too, although I put "In Dreams" right up there with "Into the West."

[DaTennisBallKid]

I can't really choose just one...so:
FOTR:
The tom-toms at the end of "The Breaking of The Fellowship"
Need I say why?
TTT:
The end of "Breath of Life" where Aragorn gets on Brego and rides. Wow!
ROTK:
"Hope is Kindled/Gondor Calls for Aid.../And Rohan Will Answer."
"For Frodo"

I guess I'm not the only one waiting for the Box-set, eh?

[darthspielberg]

it isn't on the OST but my favorite moment in the music of ROTK is when Gothmog stabs Faramir's right hand man and states that the age of men is over. It chilled me to the bone the first time i heard it, but now i crank the volumne whenever come to that scene. :)

[Sparta*]

My fav moment in the score is when Theoden finishes telling of Saruman, and Saruman says "jibbets and crows! Dotard!" the music when he says that (or right before) is wicked!

[Darth Barth]

Everything...I mean everything is beautiful. From Concerning Hobbits to Into the West.
I have to say my favorite is Bridge of Khazad Dum though.

[FVD]

Everytime I hear Renee Fleming's voice in ROTK I just burst into tears now. One moment is when Gandalf and the eagles were rescuing Frodo and Sam from Mt Doom where we're all looking down on Frodo from Gwaihir's view.

FVD.

[flukeman]

I agree FVD, what a gorgeous voice she has. Any of the soloists have the ability to bring a tear to my eye, especially Ben del Maestro.

[Smeagol]

Ben Del maestro is awesome during Forth Eorlingas! :)

[Morrigan]

Okay, I have many:

The entire 'Breaking of the Fellowship'

The first minute of "the ring goes south"

All of "Samwise the Brave" until you get to the 'gollum part'

"The Hornburg" when the Elves arrive

All of "The Uruk - Hai"

The end of "Minas Tirith" when the Gondorian theme plays

All of "The White Tree"

All of "The Return of the King"

[Helmshammer85]

Difficult to have just one favourite, so here's my list:

SAD/EMOTIONAL THEMES

Breaking of the Fellowship/Boromir's death/May It Be (FOTR)

Samwise the Brave (TTT)

The Return of the King (ROTK)
-This is probably my favourite of the emotional themes, beautiful piece of music.

Grey Havens (ROTK)

HEROIC THEMES

Forth Eorlingas (TTT)

Ride of the Rohirrim/Battle of Pelennor (ROTK)

The Urukai (TTT)

Bridge of Khazad Dum (FOTR)
- I love the Fellowship theme here, when Aragorn and Frodo cross the broken stair.

Victory at Minas Tirith (ROTK TC)
- This is possibilly my favourite Heroic type theme, its the Gondor theme which plays when Aragorn is fighting at Pelennor in the theatrical version. Was disapointed it wasn't in the EE as well because it really made that scene exciting.

Minas Tirith/Gondor Theme (ROTK)
- I especially like the part where Gandalf and Pippin are riding through the forest on the way to MT and there is a hint of the Fellowship theme which then turns into the Gondor theme.

Decline of Gondor (ROTK EE)
- This is another version of the Gondor theme which plays during the scene and also on the main menu selection on disc one.

Anduril (ROTK)